Circling Southern Wisconsin

Eastern Bluebird at Pheasant Branch, Madison

We have spent the last month in the Madison area as we traded in our "home" RV for a new one .  As with most new vehicles/homes, there are things that need fixing and adjusting.  In between appointments at Camping World we have been birding the area and visiting with friends and relatives.

Red-winged Blackbird nest near DeForest

Baby Robin at the KOA

Our new home, 2015 Navion - parked at Manitowoc with Boneparte's Gulls checking it out

Greater Scaup

Brewer's Blackbird

We met up with the Bay Area Bird Club at Buena Vista Grasslands to search for the bird specialties of this unique habitat.  Three carloads of people traveled from Green Bay and it was great to see everyone.  We then drove with the group to the Sandhill Wildlife Area for the 12 mile long auto tour.

Upland Sandpiper

Savannah Sparrow

Sandhill Cranes - bonding dance

Black-billed Cuckoo - Buena Vista

Trumpeter Swan family - Sandhill WLA

Day old fawn

We spent the rest of Memorial Day weekend at friends Larry & Joyce Miller near Adams.  Before heading back to Madison we checked out singing Kirtland's Warblers near Big Flats.  We heard two males but did not pursue as not to disturb nesting as there are only 15 males singing in the state.

Common Yellowthroat

Yellow-throated Vireo

Bumble Bee collects pollen 

We went to Madison to join Troy & Carmen as they treated us to the stage performance of "The Lion King" at the Overture Theater.



We then went to Janesville to stay in the driveway of our friends Bill & Glenda Berger.   It was a great visit with good food and sharing some movies.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit seeds

Marsh Wren sings at Kohler-Andrae Park

We spent two days in Sheboygan at Kohler-Andrae State Park birding the marsh and lake shore.  We also visited Ty's Aunts and Uncles catching up with the family.

Swamp Sparrow

Chickadee brings lunch back for the babies

American Bittern

We stopped at Horicon on our way west to visit Ida's sister Ella near Westfield.  We took two day trips from there to White River Marsh and Necedah National Wildlife Refuge.
We found 6 of the rare Whooping Cranes at Necedah.  It was also great hearing the Whip-poor-wills call every evening and morning.

Snapping Turtle laying eggs

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Blue Flag at Necedah 

Banded Whooping Crane - colorful bracelets 

Whooping Crane takes a short flight

Orange Hawkweed

Goat's Beard

We are now near Madison at Lake Farm Park until the 28th.  We will then head to Green Bay for a couple weeks and then Northern Wisconsin before our trip out west.

Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann